Tattoo gun



June 19, 1962 K. D. STONE ETAL 3,039,467

TATTOO GUN Filed Dec. 18, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 0 /Z 2 /4 20 y a /0'72d' WMAYQ//M\\\\\\\\ \Wmvm\\w?%l IN V EN TORJ /1/ far/ify.

June 19, 1962 K. D. STONE ETAL TATTOO GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.18, 1959 INVENTORJ.

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United States Patent Gil ice 3,839,467 Patented June 19, 1952 3,639,467TATTOQ GUN Kyle D. Stone, Independence, and Glenn W. Baker, Kansas City,M0., assgnors to Stone Manufacturing &

Supply C0., Inc., Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Dec.18, 1959, Ser. No. 860,383 1 Claim. (Cl. 12S- 329) This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in tattoo instruments, and hasparticular reference to a tattoo instru-ment particularly adapted foruse in marking livestock permanently for the purposes of breedingregistry, branding identification, etc.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of atattoo instrument in which the tattoo numerals, letters or other indiciaare outlined by a series of needles mounted on a head carried movably bya body member, said -head being movably impelled by a striker which isheld in a cocked position in said body member, and is releasable by atrigger mechanism. Thus when the indicia head is held adjacent the bodyportion of the animal to be tattooed and the trigger is actuated, thesaid needles will be projected into the animals flesh. 'Ihe presettension of the striker spring provides that the striking force will beprecisely the same on each operation, thereby procuring uni-formpenetration of the needles for maximum efficiency. 'IIattoo ink orcoloring matter is rubbed into the needle wounds immediately after theneedles have been withdrawn. Ordinarily the animal is treated with alocal anaesthetic before the tattooing operation.

Another object is the provision of a tattoo instrument of the characterdescribed having novel means for visually aligning the plane of thepoints of said needles precisely parallel with the skin surface to betattooed, whereby upon operation all of the needles will penetrate to auniform depth. This is important in procuring uniform and legibletattooing.

A further object is the provision of a tattoo instrument of thecharacter described having novel means for withdrawing the needles fromthe animals flesh after penetration has been accomplished.

A still `further object is the provision of a tattoo instrument of thecharacter described which is readily adaptable for use either on aportion of the animals body having a bony structure immediatelytherebehind to support the force of the tattooing blow, such as the lipof a horse, or on a relatively unsupported portion of the body such asthe ear of a cow.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease,efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for use in awide variety of applications.

With these objects in view, as Well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to thedrawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is Aa longitudinal sectional view through a tattoo gun embodyingthe present invention, shown in its cocked position, with parts left inelevation and parts broken away,

FIG, 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-Il of FIG. l,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line Ill-lllof FIG. l,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the tattoo gun asshown in FIG. l,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form oftattoo gun, showing only the forward portion thereof,

FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken on line Vl-Vl of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional View taken on line VII- VII of FIG. 5.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and in FIGS. l-4 the numeral 2 applies to the body member of thegun, said body member being tubular with a cylindrical bore 4 extendinglongitudinally therethrough. Adjacent its rearward end, said body memberis provided with an integral, transversely extending pistol-type handgrip `6. Threaded into the rearward end of the body member, so as toform an extension of bore 4, is a tubular body extension 8 closed at itsrearward end by a threaded cap 10. Disposed slidably in bore 4, and inextension 8, is a cylindrical striker i12. having a forwardly projectingnose portion 14 of reduced diameter operable to project forwardly oflthe body member through the reduced forward portion 16 of bore 4 whenthe striker is driven forwardly in the bore. An internal shoulder 18 inbore 4 cooperates with a shoulder 20 on the striker to limit the forwardmovement of the striker. A cooking rod 22 is threaded into the rearwardend of the striker, extending rearwardly therefrom axially throughextension S, through an aperture 24 provided therefor in cap 10, andhaving a linger knob 26 affixed to the rearward end thereof. A helicalcompression spring 28 is disposed about rod 22 within extension 8,bearing at one end against cap 10 and at its opposite end against therearward end of striker 12, whereby as said striker is retractedrearwardly by pulling on knob 26, said spring will be compressed.

Said striker is secured releasably in its retracted position 4by atrigger pin 30 carried slidably in a bore 3?. of handle 6 whichintersects and is disposed at right angles to bore 4. Said trigger pinis provided at its inner end with a tooth 34 which engages shoulder 2t)`of striker 12 to hold the striker in its retracted position. Saidtrigger is urged inwardly toward its operative position by a spring 36carried in bore 32 and compressed between the outer end of the triggerpin and a plug 38 threaded into said bore. Said trigger pin may bedisengaged from the striker by means of a release bar 40 threaded intothe trigger pin and extending transversely thereto through a slot 42 inthe wall of bore 3-2 formed by handle 6, said slot being elongatedparallel to the axis of the stri-ker pin. When grip 6 is held in theright hand, the thumb is disposed conveniently to press on bar 40 tomovethe trigger pin out of engagement with shoulder 20, whereupon thestriker is driven forwardly by spring 28. Spring 28 is preferably ofsuc-h length that it is fully extended and relaxed before striker nose14 projects through the forward end of the body member.

A digit block 44 is disposed at the forward end of body member 2 so asto overlap the forward end of bore 4. It is supported movably by a pairof spaced apart screws 46 parallel to the axis of bore 4, said screwsbeing fixed at their forward ends in block 44 and extending rearwardlytherefrom. Said screws extend slidably through apertures 48 providedtherefor in a pair of oppositely extending ears 50 formed integrallywith body member 2. Thus block `44 is supported by body member 2 formovement toward and from the forward end of said body member. -It isurged yieldably toward said body member by a pair of coil springs 52coiled respectively about each of screws 46 and compressed between theassociated ear 50I and the head 54 of said screw.

A plurality of needle holders 56 are mounted on the forward face ofblock 44, each of said holders having a plurality of needles 58 affixedtherein and projecting forwardly therefrom to outline a numeral, letter,or other desired indicia. The points of all of said needles are disposedin a plane at right angles to the axis of the body member. Holders 56are preferably detachably connected to block 44 by means including aclamp bar 60 and screws 62, in order that any desired plural-digitnumeral or other composite mark may be set up, but the specificstructure for providing this detachable mounting forms no part of thepresent invention, and is not here described in detail.

A guide and stripper plate 64 is disposed forwardly of needles 58, in aplane parallel to the plane of the needle points. It is supportedrigidly relative to body member 2 by a rearward extension 66 thereofwhich passes beneath block 44, and an extension 68 projecting upwardlyfrom the rearward edge of extension 66 between block 44 and the bodymember. Extension 68 is secured to the body member by screws '70 (FIG.3), and is apertured to permit the passage therethrough of screws 46,and to prevent obstruction of the forward end of bore 4. Guide andstripper plate 64 is provided with a window 72 through which needles S8may project forwardly when block 44 is driven forwardly by spring 28.

The tool as thus far described is particularly adapted for use intattooing portions of an animals body irnmediately backed by hard bonystructure. For example, an accepted position for tattooing horses is theinner surface f the upper lip, the lip being turned back and laid backagainst the skull structure immediately above the mouth. The skin ispreferably first deadened by a topical anaesthesia. The gun is then heldso as to place plate 64 iiat against the lip. The plate thus acts as analignment guide insuring that the needle points are disposed in a planeparallel to the skin surface to be tattoed, so that when the needles areprojected forwardly as will be described, all of them will penetrate thelip to a substantially uniform depth. This is important in providing auniform and legible marking. The long, slim and straight configurationof the body member 2 and its extension 8 is also of assistance invisually aligning the gun. When the gun is properly aligned, release bar40 is pressed downwardly as previously described, withdrawing triggertooth 34 out `of engagement with striker shoulder Z0, whereupon thestriker is driven forwardly by spring 2S and impelled against block 44,driving said block forwardly against the pressure of springs 52. Needles5S are thereby projected forwardly through window 72 of plate 64, anddriven into the skin and flesh of the lip. Since the striker isirnpelled by spring 28, and since the tension of the spring is regulatedby the distance to which the striker has been retracted, and theretraction is determined by the placement of trigger pin 30, it isapparent that the hammer blow delivered by the striker ispre-determined, notV subject to the judgment of the operator, and willbe the same each time the gun is operated. This removes a source ofhuman error and provides uniform marking over any number of operations.In this connection it should be noted also that plate 64 serves as alspacer regulating the distance from the lip to the needles prior totiring the gun. This regulation is also important in providing uniformpenetration of the needles.

Immediately after the needles have penetrated the lip, they arewithdrawn by springs 52. During this motion plate 64 strips the lip awayfrom the needles, or perhaps more accurately speaking, holds the lipstationary while the needles are withdrawn therefrom. This is a useful 4feature since the needles often tend to become rather tightly embeddedin tough tissues. Immediately after the needles are withdrawn, tattooink or coloring matter is rubbed into the penetration wounds, so thatwhen said wounds have healed a clearly visible marking will remain.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate a modification of the gun particularly adapted foruse in tattooing portions of an anunals body not having a bony backingfor withstanding the impact of the gun. Principally contemplated is theear tattooing of cattle. The modification is in most respects similar tothat of FIGS. l-4, corresponding parts thereof being designated bycorresponding primed numerals, except for the addition of a fixed anvil,and modification of the means for mounting the guide and stripper plate.The anvil comprises a cup shaped holder 74 having a pad 76 of rubber orother penetrable material mounted therein, the face of said pad beingdisposed forwardly of and parallel to plate 64. Holder 74 is connectedto body member 2 lby a C-shaped connector 78, said holder, connector andbody member being preferably integral.

Since stripper plate 64 must be spaced suiciently apart from the anvilto admit the animals ear freely therebetween, and since said stripperplate must subsequently advance toward the anvil to clamp the ear, andthe anvil is fixed to the body member, it will be evident that saidstripper plate cannot be affixed to the :body member as in FIGS. 1 4.Instead, a pair of pins 80 are afiixed respectively in the ends of saidstripper plate and extend rearwardly therefrom parallel to the axis ofthe tool. Said pins extend slidably through bores 82 formed therefor ina pair of ears 84 formed integrally with block 44', and each pin isprovided at its rearward end with an enlarged head 86 which limits theforward movement thereof. A coil spring 88 is disposed about each ofpins 89, being compressed between plate 64 and an ear 84, whereby tourge plate 64 forwardly.

When block 44' is driven forwardly by the striker as previouslydescribed in connection with FIGS. l-4, stripper plate 64 initiallymoves therewith, since said plate is carried by said block. Movement ofthe plate continues until it has pressed the ear firmly against anvilpad 76, whereupon said plate is arrested. The pressure loading of theear between the anvil and plate 64 aligns the ear accurately so that itssurface is parallel to the plane containing the points of needles 5S',so that the penetration of all of the needles will be uniform. Theforward movement of block 44 continues by reason of its momentum afterplate 64' has been halted, causing compression of springs 88, andadvancing needles S8 through window 72 of the plate to penetrate theear. After penetration is completed, and as block 44 is retracted to itsnormal position by springs 52', plate 64 is urged forwardly relative tothe block to strip the ear forwardly off of needles 58. Except as abovedescribed, the operation of the modification of our invention shown inFIGS. 5-7 is identical to that of the species shown in FIGS. 1-4.

While we have shown and described certain specitic embodiments of ourinvention, it will be readily apparent that numerous minor changes ofstructure and operation could be made without departing from the spiritof the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A tattoo gun comprising an elongated body member, a block carried bysaid body member at the forward end thereof for movement parallel to theaxis thereof, resilient means urging said block rearwardly with respectto said body member, a plurality of forwardly projecting needles mountedon the forwardface of said block and outlining the indicia to beimprinted, a striker carried by said body member for movementlongitudinally thereof and operable on forward movement to engage anddrive said block forwardly relative to said body member, means forimpelling said striker forwardly relative to said body member, a planaranvil fixed to said body member and 5 6 disposed in spaced apartrelation forwardly from said References Cited in the file of this patentneedles whereby to support a part to be tattooed as said UNITED STATESPATENTS block is driven forwardly by said striker, a planar guide platesupported by said :block for forward and rearward 2,555,133 HorstmannMay 29, 1951 movement relative thereto, and resilient means urging 52,593,110 Crane et al. Apr. 15, 1952 said plate forwardly with respectto said block, said plate 2,787,179 Warner Apr. 2, 1957 when in itsforward position being disposed intermediate said needles and saidanvil, and having a window formed FOREIGN PATENTS therein through wh1chsaid needles are extended when 23,733 Finland Jan. 16, 1950 said blockis driven forwardly -by said striker and move- 10 ment of said plate isarrested by engagement with the part to be tattooed, which is in turnsupported on said anvil.

82,531 Norwayl Sept. 28, 1953

